Braking news from Brembo on the upcoming USGP:
After nearly a month off, the Formula 1 World Championship resumes in the USA, which already hosted the Miami GP in early May. This weekend, the race will take place in Austin, Texas, at the Circuit of the Americas. It will be the 12th edition of the USA GP at this track, which for the third consecutive year has gathered at least 400,000 spectators, reaching 432,000 attendees last year.
The GP Data
According to Brembo technicians, the 5.513 km-long Circuit of the Americas is considered a moderately demanding track for brakes. On a scale from 1 to 5, it has earned a difficulty rating of 3, despite having 4 braking points classified as "Hard" balanced by an equal number of "Light" braking points. Over a lap, Formula 1 drivers use the brakes 10 times for just over 16.7 seconds per lap, which is equivalent to 18% of the entire race.
• Brembo Identity Card, in PDF: Brembo - F1 2024
• Video Hardest Braking Point, in .mp4: https://we.tl/t-GILSWrpvOL
• Link YT Hardest Braking Point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFCHUowF3ns
• Link web news: https://www.brembo.com/en/company/news/2024-formula1-austin-gp-brembo-brakes
Ventilated Brake Pads
Brembo's long-standing experience in Formula 1, which began in 1975 with a small supply of cast iron brake discs for Ferrari, has allowed them to develop several solutions for the calipers that aid in the thermal dissipation of the entire braking system. Among these were brake pads with ventilation holes, which were difficult to manufacture due to their small size and the carbon-based materials used.
Thanks to these holes, airflow was increased, which delayed the overheating of both the pads and the caliper. However, since 2022, the FIA technical regulations have banned these holes in brake pads to limit component costs. Brembo has adapted to this ban by promoting cooling through special treatments on the back of the pad, which reduce weight and increase the heat exchange surface.
The Toughest Turn
The hardest corner for the braking system at the Circuit of the Americas is Turn 12: cars approach it at 309 km/h and slow down to 86 km/h in 2.7 seconds, covering 123 meters. The force required of the drivers is 4.3 g, and the pressure they apply on the brake pedal is 133 kg. The braking power reaches 2,212 kW.
The Inferno of Dallas
Forty years ago, Texas hosted the only edition of the Dallas GP: the track was designed around the Cotton Bowl, an iconic stadium mainly used for college football. It featured several blind corners, and part of the track lacked asphalt. Braking on concrete is not the same, and some drivers complained, but eventually agreed to race. The extreme heat was a major factor, to the point where Nigel Mansell, after getting out to push his Lotus that had stopped just meters from the finish line, fainted from exhaustion.
